John Erskine, earl of Mar (1675-1732)
Jacobite leader who changed stance several times during his career. Initially he was in favour of the act of Union between England and Scotland, although before he fell from power he had changed to become an advocate of repeal. After the death of Queen Anne, he joined the camp of James Edward Stuart, the Old Pretender, and on 6 September 1715 he raised the Jacobite flag in Scotland, starting the First Jacobite Revolt. Although he had some initial success, he failed to capture any significant town, and the indecisive battle of Sheriff Muir (13 November 1715) was his last significant military venture. James Edward himself reached Mar in late december 1715, by which point the revolt was already a failure, and within a month both men had abandoned the army. Mar fled to France with James Edward, but lost favour after 1723.
How to cite this article:
Rickard, J. (6 November 2000), John Erskine, earl of Mar (1675-1732), http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/people_mar.html